Finally getting the raster maps converted with mapc2 or whatever it's called. It seems that Locus is a great app, and right now to me the weak point is having to use mapc2 to create the raster maps,as that program needs a bit of housecleaning: The batch file processing algorith is not practical, most users have no desire or ability to create a command line driven batch file for the one time they need to use it, batch processing should be an option of the GUI. The documentation is very sparse, full of typos, spelling mistakes and grammatical errors, making if very hard to understand and figure out, yet it is priced 4X higher than the average Android App. Locus would be a much stronger program if you did not have to rely on third party programs such as mapc2, and the developer of mapc2 should have a hard look at his product marketing model.

Here's another question that has me curious. That is with regard to the difference between writing a map file that uses different levels of zoom as opposed to say, a file format like ozf2.

For example, if I create a 1:50000 map sheet for Locus at 15 levels zoom, I end up with a file in the 44mb range for size. If I create an ozf file for the same sheet it is about 4mb size.

When I go and look at the files, let's say the 44mb file in Locus and zoom to level 15, and then open the same sheet in a program that will view the ozf file, I see no advantage in screen resolution at the equivalent 15 zoom level for either program. So it boils down the the obvious advantage then of file size, the Locus file is 10X larger than the ozf with little apparent advantage.

So my question is, beacuse I'm new to this, is there perhaps other advantages to the 44mb file that may not be obvious to me right now?

Hi Tom, if this is a weak point is a question. I'm a single developer, same as author of mapc2mapc. And as a single developer, it's really hard to cover all aspects of mapping and navigation software. I decide to add support just for few basic map projections and support mainly for SQLite style of map storage. Because exist this tool (mapc2mapc), I have no need to spend few months by work on some convert tool ... why should I waste time on such thing when some other program already do this? I know it's cost is much higher then average cost of programs on android market, but it's cost is really cheap compare to normal prices on desktop computer and you have to think about this program in that way. It's not program distributed on market! I I'll be selling Locus on web only instead of market, it's price will be much more higher that is now!

so if you want some improvements on mapc2mapc program, contact author itself.

and second thing with file size. I don't know what is doing conversion tool with images so you have also ask author.

As mentioned I'm just getting aquainted with Android app's and trying to figure these questions out. I live in the Canadian Rockies where contour lines and some backcountry features are important to have. Unfortunately for me, the only OpenSource maps that I found so far that have contours are OpenCycle, which I cannot download in Locus, (but for some reason seem to be able to in Orux). However even they are not adequate, in some places the glaciers and hiking trails are missing for example. So that means I am left with NTS raster maps as pretty much my only option. That's why I'm trying to figure out why the apparent difference difference in file sizes and features between the various bitmap formats that seem to exist at the same zoom level (EG: ozi/orux/locus=4MB/26MB/44MB at level 15). I understand that it is not your fault that for example the servers do not allow for downloading of tiles. I am getting the impression that while Locus is a very comprehensive and powerful program, the strengths of Locus are primarily to be found with using online maps.

I also noted that you have just set up a new server. I recently also wanted to increase bandwidth on a server we were running and we moved all our sites into the Cloud on an AMazon S3 drive. At $.12 cents per GB data transfer cost (and $14 cents per month per GB for storage) you may want to consider setting up a tile server on Amazon S3.

Last, I would appreciate it if you could elaborate on what the vector add-in does. Would it allow me for example to bypass the the OpenCycle download restriction and download tiles directly from your new server?

obout openCycle maps .. downloading is disabled on request of owner. To allow downloading, he wanted really a lot of money that I'm still not willing to pay. How is possible that other apps are downloading? It's same with many other apps that just simply allow using and downloading of maps and violate terms of use. On other side, I see it as a problem on server owner, that there just do not set at least small protection on their servers.

about amazon, thanks for tip. I already distribute part of vector maps from S3 server. Anyway currently, there is around 3TB of downloaded vector maps per month, so I'm just distribute only part (and will move more data to amazon if my server will be overloaded). I have now second server where my friend is setting own map server with some more special stuff in plan and I'm sure that limit to 10TB per month will be enough!

and finally, about addon Vector map ... only purpose is to allow you direct download of prepared vector maps. If you're little skilled, and seems you're, there is no need for this addon and you may create these maps by your own with method descibed on MapsForge web page

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll keep plugging away. I don't know how to do it but probably others that are more skilled than I am have figured out a way to download the maps they want from Orux and then convert them to another format perhaps.

And I know it has already been suggested but also what about distribution via Torrents? You can use S3 to cap a torrent until there are enough seeds and then shut it down. Also I have been able to set up a seedbox in a virtual server on an Amazon Elastic Cloud Instance (EC2), which has the advantage of a very large bandwidth pipe where you see upload speeds measured at mb/s not kb/s. In one weekend I was able to upload about 50GB from uTorrent to build my ratio with one of the trackers I use and the total cost at the end was roughly about $18.00 I think. If you want to play with this they have a Free Tier you can use to experiment that will not cost you anything for the first 15GB per month that is transferred out.

I write here just to let you know that I am one of the person who appreciate ozfx to locus.zip.

Offcourse MAPC2MAPCNET is much more advanced, but there are some maps who still prefer the old java cutter.

MAPC2MAPCNET, infact recreate all the images, while imageCutter.jar not! Some graphocal images are well seen after the treatment of MAPC2MAPCNET, but the lossless 100% zoom scale is completely missing.

Rescaling images are NEVER lossless. I am a grapher, so I work a lot on raster map before reach the best results. Is a pitty to loose a lot o quality and zoon forcing an image to reach the RMap/sqlite fixed zoom levels.

Is much better to work on adjusting the projectum zoom, instead rendering images to reach fixed projectum. 12,13,14,15,16 and so on.

My map with "scale 3,17 metres/pixel : zoom level 15 is 3,51 metres/pixel" is awful after MAPC2MAPCNET stripping, especially because is not a picture but a graphical png low bit color, high density sharp image.

imageCutter.jar is perfect for this, and the image is just super sharp and detailed on old tar format, but seems Locus doesn't support datum Roma1940. Isn't it?

I have a 9000x6000 png of just 4.2MB with datum Roma1940. (I can send you to let you know).

It would be nice to finally have a simple but powerful and up-to-date imageCutter.jar for the graphical png images.And yes, the MAPC2MAPCNET is very very good for creating photographic high quality zoom levels (as and better than img2ozf do) but, also there, I really do not undertans why to force the souce image always! And why avoiding pure 100%.

It's a sqlite limit? So this could be the why a lot of users miss OZI format and Androzic, even if this software is good but not as complete as yours.

I know Locus is particulary made for on-line sources. But your software is really too god to not be able to work with custom raster personally georeferenced images at a real 100 of quality.

Finally just to let you know that I dont miss ozfx3 file format (just miss a software to do tha same for sqlite at loslessy 100% zoom level). But a map lover as me need to find a way to have all his wonderful PNG, or GeoTIFF images viewed at full quality and dimension on your just amazing Locus.

Hello Raf, thank you for your post. I'm quite surprised that someone still use this tool. I made it a few years (maybe more then three) ago as a weekend job when I was learning programming. It's incomplete, full of bugs and really not widely usable. Locus itself do not support special formats in TAR format etc etc .. lot of space for improvements!

exist hope that Locus cutter will be alive again, but let's be surprised. Anyway did you tried export your map from mapc2mapc to RMAP format? Are maps in this format also rescaled? Because RMAP format do not need some fixed zoom levels. It's in fact very similar to TAR format so it can contain custom projections etc. Also not all projections will be working in Locus anyway I'll be glad (when you send me sample map) to add support for generated map into next version

EDIT: hmm as I think about it, maybe if you can send me some sample map in TAR with your projection, I should look on it. Cannot promise but will try ...

hello, hmm nice. Don't worry, I'm not saying TAR format goodbye, even if is not much efficient

question is, how author create some multilayer possibilities. Because Locus do not support yet full TrekBuddy format. You may vote here https://getsatisfaction.com/locus/topic ... dy_atlases if you find it useful. Seems people are interested in this so I think one day ...

I don't want to bother you, and I promise I'll silently ( :oops: ) wait for the day, if so, you will give more support on TAR.

Maybe the developer of mapc2mapc will write to you to allineate the goal of a full zoom support on TAR. Should be nice ah!

About the efficientness I have, on the ather hand, to say that: what you mean with "efficient"?Space file compression level?Programming efficientness?

If the second, OK. I have no skill to know, and I completely trust in you.

If the first, I have to say something. :roll: Images intensivly optimized and palette compressend into modern PNG are not-more-compressible.They're alreay as their best.So avoiding any kind of scaling for the full zoom level (the biggest) mans: raw quality and raw space.

Quality does matter 8-) No way ...

Any kind of force-scaling of the full zoom level (like SQLite need) means considerably loss quality and quite a lot more space. And a much more processing resources, also!

Camparison on maps format space and quality just confirm this easly.

In any case I vote for that, and I did all my best to go in deep in this quality topic.

My enforce ends here. So I'll just at disposal for tests, and no more words on it :lol: